Retold Stories
and Plans
The Ugly Duckling
Once upon a time there was an ugly duckling, who had feathers
all stubby and brown. The other birds, in so many words, said
‘Quack! Get out of town! Quack! Get out! Quack quack! Get out!
Quack quack! Get out of town!’ So he went, with a quack and a
waddle and a quack and a very unhappy frown. That poor little
ugly duckling went wandering far and near. But at every place
they said to his face ‘Quack quack! Get out of here! Quack! Get
out! Quack quack! Get out! Quack quack! Get out of here!’ So he
went with a quack and a waddle and a quack and a very unhappy
tear.
All through the wintertime he hid himself away, ashamed to show
his face and afraid of what others might say. All through the
wintertime, he hid in his lonely clump of reeds, until a flock of
swans spied him there and very soon agreed ‘You’re a very fine
swan indeed!’ The ugly duckling was astonished! ‘Who, me? Me,
a swan? Oh go on!’ But the swans said to him ‘Yes, you! You are
a swan! Take a look in the lake if you don’t believe us.’
So he looked and he looked and he looked and then he saw – a
swan! ‘It’s true! I am a swan! I’m not such an ugly duckling,
with feathers all stubby and brown.’ And the other birds, in so
many words, said ‘You’re the best in town! The best, the very
best, the very best in town!’ So, not a quack, not a waddle, not a
waddle, not a quack, but a glide and a whistle and a snowy white
back and a head held noble and high. The ugly duckling said
‘Now who’s an ugly duckling? Not I!’
The End
adapted from the song sung by Danny Kaye, based on the original tale by
Hans Christian Anderson
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Narrative, traditional tales, storytelling
Text(s): The Ugly Duckling
Main text objectives: T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T8, T9, T14, T16
Listen to and learn
Danny Kaye song
‘There once was an
ugly duckling’
Read different versions of
Ugly Duckling story. Ask
children to compare them
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Dance using actions
described in song;
children produce
sequence of moves;
work in groups
Start to use actions to
retell story; start each
session with sung
recap using actions
Innovation,
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Children work with
adult to write
speech bubbles to
add to display
Children make
puppets to use with
story maps
Children create
artwork of ugly
duckling/swan
showing feelings
before and after
Listen to other music
related to ducks and
swans
Construct nests
using various
materials
Work in 5 groups
to create section
of whole class
collage of story
for display.
Use drama techniques
(freeze-frame, hotseat,
helicopter,) to recreate
story and describe
characters
Use soft toy/puppet;
children talk/ask
questions
Walk to park to
see ducks in own
habitat. Close
observational
sketching
Look at lifecycle in
non-fiction book.
Recreate using wheel
writing frame
Year group: 1
Invention, talking
and drawing
Teacher modelling
Spelling,
sentence and
paragraph work
Independent writing
Quality writing
outcome
Use one story to
create class story
map, children adding
pictures
Use comic strip frame to
sequence story using
pictures and captions
Independent re-writing
of story using frame of
choice
Whole class retelling/
singing of story using
actions, as performance
to other Y1 class
The legend of George and
the Dragon
Once upon a time, there was a huge and ferocious dragon, who
lived in a dark, dark cave high on the top of a misty mountain.
The dragon was always hungry, so, every morning and every
evening the people of the kingdom at the foot of the misty
mountain climbed and they climbed and they climbed until
they got to a ledge as near to the dragon’s cave as they dared to
go. There they left a sheep for the dragon to eat so he wouldn’t
be hungry any more.
Unfortunately, the dragon soon ate all the sheep, but he was
still hungry. So, he thought and he thought and he thought
and decided he would have to start eating the people. First, he
would eat the king’s daughter, then he would eat not one, not
two but all the people until he wasn’t hungry any more. So he
told the king what he was going to do. When the king realised
his daughter and his people were in grave danger he was very
worried so he promised a reward to anyone in the land who could
rid him of the terrible dragon.
Now, there happened to be a brave knight called George, who,
when he heard about the king’s challenge, decided to see if he
could help. So, he walked and he walked and he walked high
up the mountain to the ledge of the dragon’s cave. The dragon’s
huge, fiery eyes blazed at George and he got ready to blast him
with his fiery breath. Suddenly, George took his lance and
plunged it into the dragon’s side. The dragon let out a terrible
roar, his huge body twisted in agony and he fell crashing to the
ground with a shudder and a thump. George had defeated the
dragon and the kingdom was saved. The king gave George a
wonderful reward and everyone lived happily ever after (except
the dragon).
The End
adapted from the Legend of George and the Dragon
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Narrative, Myths and legends
Text(s): Various versions of George and the Dragon
Main text objectives: T4, T5, T6, T11
Share picture book
edition of George and
the Dragon.
Year group: 1
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Read different
versions and other
related stories
about dragons or
knights.
Look at artwork in
galleries or online. Talk
about any differences.
Children paint their own
versions in artists' style.
Use large area to
go on a dragon
hunt or perform a
dragon dance.
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Provide circles for
children to decorate.
Stick, overlapping,
onto large dragon
shape to form scales.
Use small world
figures to recreate
setting and retell
story. Change one
thing - setting,
character or ending.
Is George a hero?
Why? Draw wanted
posters or ads for
hero and dragon.
Children write/draw
comic strip versions
to make 'Superhero'
books. What have
they changed from
the original story?
Write new version
using Pie Corbett
actions and language.
Go outside to tell to
children for full
dramatic effect.
Use construction
materials or junk to
make dragon's den,
mountain and castle.
Make stick puppets to
go with the scenery.
Children work in
pairs using fuzzy
felt figures and
boards to
generate ideas
for new stories.
Adult scribe.
Invention, talking
and drawing
Make part of the
classroom the
dragon's den. Provide
creative materials for
children's independent
writing in role as
characters.
Teacher Modelling
Spelling,
sentence and
paragraph work
Independent Writing
Quality Writing Outcome
QUALITY
OUTCOME
(ORACY):
Children
rehearse and
perform Pie
Corbett version
of story to other
KS1 classes for St
George's Day
assembly.
The Wind and The Sun
Early one morning the wind and the sun woke up and had an
argument.
First the wind said that he was the strongest.
But the Sun argued that he was the strongest.
So, they had a competition.
There was a man walking by. The wind blew and he blew and he
blew.
But/unfortunately the man just pulled his cloak tightly round
him.
Next the sun tried.
The sun shone and it shone and it shone.
The man got hotter and hotter and hotter. So hot, that he took
off his cloak.
The sun had won the competition!
Moral: Kindness always gets things done.
The End
adapted from the original Aesop’s Fable
The Teaching Sequence for a 1/2 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Traditional Tales/Fantasy
Text(s): The Wind and the Sun – Aesop’s Fable
Main text objectives: T4, T7, T10, T14, T16
Year group: 1
(Short Unit of Work)
Theatre Visit: Whole
School – Group
presenting 12 Fables in
One Hour!
Read the story: prior to
theatre group visit.
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
S&L: Discussion
of theatre visit.
Did you see our
story? Which
other fable did
you like?
Paint/Pastel Drawing:
Painting pictures of
Wind and Sun
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Draw own story map.
S&L: Where was
the man going?
Learning Partner
talk and feed
back to class.
Role Play/
Drama:
Use cloak and
choose child to
be the man. Have
a card board Sun
and Wind for two
other children to
hold.
Hot Seat Opportunities:
the man, the wind, the
sun.
Shared Writing:
Demonstrate how to write a
beginning, middle, end of
fable in several sessions.
Model oral rehearsal of
sentences before writing,
and checking the sentences
make sense with correct
punctuation.
Story Map: Retell
from the map.
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Teacher
modelling
Focus on
Beginning, middle
and ends.
Sequence: Children
to put pictures from
story in order.
Spelling, sentence and
paragraph work
Independent
writing
Quality writing
outcome
Write own story
using map as a
guide.
The Three Little
Pigs
Once upon a time, early one morning a mother pig who
decided that it was time for her three little pigs to leave home.
The first little pig built a house of straw.
The second little pig built a house of sticks.
The third little pig built a house of bricks.
Unfortunately, along came a big bad wolf to the house of straw.
Little pig, little pig, let me come in.
Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin, I will NOT let you in.
So, the wolf huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed
and he blew the house down.
The first little pig ran and he ran and he ran, all the way to his
brother’s house.
Then the wolf came to the house of sticks.
Little pig, little pig, let me come in.
Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin, I will NOT let you in.
So, the wolf huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed
and he blew the house down.
The two little pigs ran and they ran and they ran, all the way
to their brother’s house.
Next the wolf came to the house of bricks.
So, the wolf huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed
BUT he could not blow the house down.
The wolf was cross, so he climbed onto the roof and started to
come down the chimney.
But, three little pigs lit a fire and put on a big pot of water to
boil.
The wolf fell straight into the hot water and burnt his tail –
ARRRHHH!!!
Finally, the wolf went out of the house. He ran and he ran and
he ran and was never seen again.
The End
adapted from the original fairy tale
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Traditional Tales
Text(s): The Three Little Pigs
Main text objectives: T4 T5, T7, T8, T9, T15, T16
Listen to story on
tape/CD.
Read different versions of the story.
Focus on different
endings. Which do
we like best?
Year group: 1
S&L: Look together at
the story map. Who can
tell me the story from
it?
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Story tell using
the story map.
Small World Play –
Pigs, Wolf & Houses
Visit: Horton Kirby
Group Work: Make
the three houses –
straw, sticks and
brick (duplo)
Linked: Science –
Materials
D&T/History: Houses
Drama/Role Play:
Whole Class –
Half class as wolf.
Half as one of the
pigs. Stand
opposite each
other. Wolf Side:
Little pig Little Pig
let me come in.
Pig Side: Not by
the…
Freeze Frame: The
Feelings on faces of
Wolf & Pigs, when the
wolf knocks on the
door.
S&L: Identify and discuss
characters.
S & L – Sharing: stories
written so far. Children
read.
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Puppet Making:
Lolly stick
puppets. Story tell
with puppets.
Hot Seating: Mother
Pig, Wolf and 3 Pigs.
Role Play: With wolf
and pig hand puppets.
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Teacher
modelling
Spelling, sentence and
paragraph work
Independent writing
Quality writing
outcome
Draw own story maps.
Re-tell the story in writing.
Wanted posters: for
Wolf.
Learning Partner:
Re-tell together
Independent
writing: Lists for
Wolf soup, letter or
postcard to Mum.
Quick Write: Key
Spellings
Writing Targets:
Review work against
targets.
The Story of Little
Red Riding Hood
Once upon a time there was a little
girl called Red Riding Hood who
lived at the edge of the forest. She
always wore red, red shoes, red
coat, red everything. Early one
morning she woke up and her Mum asked her to take a basket of
goodies to her Grandma’s. Into the basket she put chocolate
cake, cherry cake and a delicious cream cake. Little Red Riding
Hood didn’t like being told what to do, but she went to bring the
cakes to Granny anyway. She trudged unhappily out of the house
and down the lane until she got to the old crooked crumbling
bridge. There she met a bear. Even though the bear was friendly
she thought he looked like a lean bear, a mean bear. “Oi! Look
where you’re going you ugly old bear”, she exclaimed. “Oh I do
beg your pardon”, said the bear. “I’m lost. Do you know where
the bear cave is?” “No”, said Little Red Riding Hood rudely. “Get
out of my way!” She stomped and she stomped and she
stomped until she came to a tall oak tree there she met a wolf
cub who was lonely and sad. “What have you got in your
basket?” He said softly. But Little Red Riding Hood shouted,
“None of your business, big nose!” and she stuck her tongue out
at him. Next she ran and she ran and she ran until she came to
a field of soft green grass. She smelt the delicious cakes and she
felt hungry. “Mmmm! Yummy!” She took a big bite, and another
one and another one until there was nothing left.
The End
adapted from the original fairy tale
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: : Narrative, Traditional Tales
Text(s): The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood
Main text objectives: T2, T5, T6, T7, T12, T13, T14
Year group: 2
Speaking and Listening:
Tell the story using actions.
Children join in after a few
tellings.
Model drawing story map:
Children can contribute to the
map in shared session.
Read and compare:
Variety of versions of the
story from around the world.
Read and respond:
Which version do children
prefer and why?
Speaking and Listening:
Children tell it in 3
sentences!
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Discuss characters and their
attributes:
Children create Guess Who
Riddles – small whiteboard
writing.
Drama:
Hot seat LRR, Wolf, Mum
Grandma. Children wear
headband hats in role as
characters and rest ask
questions.
Shared and guided writing ask key questions:
To support children to develop
ideas for story maps.
Collaborative composition:
In pairs create own story map
to generate ideas for own
story, changing characters
and places.
Shared writing: Demonstrate
Model using word bank to
improve ‘boring sentences.
Demonstrate composition of
narrative using ambitious
vocabulary and connectives to
create tension.
Demonstrate how to write
dialogue within the narrative.
Ask key questions:
What other stories does
this tale remind you of?
How do the main
characters change in the
True Story from the
original?
Drama:
Children act out story in roles.
They first consider what their
character is thinking, feeling,
saying and doing.
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Teacher or pupil as scribe:
Create post-its of what children’s
characters would say in the drama.
Teacher
modelling
Spelling, sentence and
paragraph work
Drama: Groups act out new stories
to each other. Video. Evaluate each
group’s work looking for successes
and improvements.
Paired writing:
Sentence work – spot the connectives
and underline.
Substitute other words for ‘said’ in
text.
Independent writing
Quality writing
outcome
Independent writing: Children work in
pairs to create script for power point
presentation of their new story complete
with speech bubbles and sound effects.
Peer evaluation: Use success criteria
checklist to evaluate each other’s work
The Pirate School Story
Once upon a time there was a boy called Pickles who didn’t
want to go to Pirate School. Although he loved writing poems
and painting pictures, Pickles’ dad said he needed toughening
up, so he had to go.
Early one morning, Pickles was taken to Pirate School where he
met evil Captain Abdul and the other pirates. Luckily he was able
to smuggle in his dog, Spud to keep him company.
Later that day Pickles met the other children who were also sad.
But they tried to enjoy themselves and they all learned how to be
pirates. First they learned how to speak pirate and after that
they learned how to read treasure maps.
Unfortunately, Pickles found out that evil Captain Abdul and his
pirates had made a plan to kidnap all the children and demand a
ransom from their parents.
Luckily, Pickles and the other children battled the evil pirates
until they were all tied up and then the children managed to
escape. So they got into a boat and they rowed and they rowed
and they rowed until they met not 1, not 2 but 3 other evil
pirates who they stole food and treasure from.
They became pirates forever, had amazing adventures and sent
lots of treasure home. And they all lived happily ever after,
especially Pickles who still loved to write poems and paint
pictures and who, surprisingly, turned out to be a girl!
Story retold from the original ‘Captain Abdul’s Pirate School’ by Colin McNaughton © 2005,
Walker Books
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Narrative, Adventure - Picture book and film image
Text(s): Captain Abdul’s Pirate School by Colin McNaughton
Main text objectives: T1, T2, T3, T10,
Year group: 2
Speaking and Listening:
Select key pieces of dialogue.
Discuss how they move the story
on or reveal more about a
character.
Speaking and Listening:
Tell the story using actions.
Children join in after a few
tellings.
Model drawing story map:
Children can contribute to the
map in shared session.
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Watch: clips of ‘Pirates of the
Caribbean’ or ‘Peter Pan’ to
learn about pirates in action.
Also create stills to generate
vocabulary to describe
characters.
Draw and make: a pirate name
spinner to choose a character
name.
Shared Reading of the text:
Children predict what will happen
next and give reasons for their
thoughts based on what they know.
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Drama:
Create a ‘forum theatre’ of
scene from text between father
and son. Children as directors.
Evaluate each pair’s scene
including dialogue.
Shared Writing: Model composing
a ‘Pirate Passport’. Children create
their initial drafts on miniwhiteboards.
Drama: Groups act out what different
characters might say if they met
Shared writing – teacher as scribe:
Create list of ‘for’ and ‘against’
points about character – Pickles
going to Pirate school based on the
forum theatre scenes.
Shared and guided writing:
Model: writing dialogue using
speech marks.
Scaffold: using word bank of
alternative words for said.
Demonstrate composition of
character description using
ambitious vocabulary – wow words
from those generated on the ‘Role
on the Wall’.
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Informal writing: Create a ‘Role on
the Wall’ for main characters.
Children put post-its around lifesize outline of Pirate recoding
descriptive phrases for appearance
and inner character. Place inside
and outside body accordingly.
Teacher
modelling
Spelling, sentence and
paragraph work
Shared writing:
Model composition of describing
the setting for writing a scene from
own story.
Independent writing
Quality writing
outcome
Independent either: Children write their
own Pirate School stories.
Peer evaluation: Use success criteria
checklist to evaluate each other's work
Paired writing:
Sentence work – scribe up sentences
for improvement. Children work on
mini-whiteboards or post-its together
to improve and ‘uplevel’ sentences.
Independent writing – ICT outcome:
Children work in pairs to create
animation of their story using digiblue
cameras and add sound effects.
The Tunnel
Once upon a time there lived a brother and sister
who were not at all alike. In every way they were
different.
The sister stayed inside on her own, reading and dreaming. The brother
played football outside with his friends, laughing and shouting.
At night, he slept soundly in his room. But she would lie awake, listening
to the noises of the night. Sometimes he crept into her room to frighten
her, for he knew that she was afraid of the dark.
Whenever they were together they fought and argued noisily. All the time.
One morning, their mother said, “Out you go together and try to be nice to
each other, just for once. And be back in time for lunch.”
They went to the dump. But the boy didn’t want his sister with him. “Why
did you have to come?” he moaned.
“I’m scared,” she said.
The boy went to explore and found a tunnel. “Let’s go down it!” he said.
But his sister was scared and so she waited for him to come out again. She
waited and waited, but he did not come. She was close to tears. What
could she do?
At last she had to follow him. The tunnel was dark and damp, slimy and
scary. At the other end she found herself in a dark forest. She thought
about wolves and giants and witches and she wanted to turn back. But she
couldn’t – for what would become of her brother if she left him?
Her heart was beating and she ran faster and faster, through the tall
trees.
Just when she could run no further she saw a figure, still as stone.
It was her brother. “Oh no!” she sobbed. “I’m too late.”
She threw her arms round the hard, cold statue. Very slowly it became
softer and warmer. Little by little it began to move. Her brother came back
to life.
They ran back, through the forest, through the tunnel and home.
Together.
“Hello,” said their mother. “You two seem very quiet. Is everything all
right?”
Rose smiled at her brother. And Jack smiled back.
Story retold from the original ‘The Tunnel’ by Anthony Browne © 1997, Walker Books
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range:
Stories with familiar settings
Text(s):
The Tunnel and Into the Forest by Anthony Browne
Main text objectives: T1, T2, T3, T10, T13
NB: As this is such a classic
with illustrations which are so
essential to the comprehension,
the book must be read and
enjoyed thoroughly before the
abridged version is told.
Read the story once and then
read the pictures for their
“secret messages.” How do
they help us to understand the
children?
Lots of comprehension work –
how do they change? Why do
they have names at the end?
etc.
Make “scary bags”
and things to fill them
with – pictures, words
and phrases etc.
Focus on making the
familiar frightening.
Teach use of
commas in lists –
make up
sentences eg
“There might be
giants, goblins and
wolves.”
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Tell abridged version of story –
listen – join in – re-tell.
Look at the 3 familiar settings and
how Anthony Browne has made each
one frightening. Re-create a picture
of each setting in collage.
Drama: simulate a tunnel (blackout
curtains + gym equipment). Children crawl
down it and then describe sensations.
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Children write
short description to
go with their
collage.
Look at the wild animals lurking
in the trees. Do charcoal
drawings of trees with hidden
monsters to create scary forest
display > sentence work to
write captions.
Practise reading the dialogue
using different voices >> look
at how punctuation is used.
Highlight all punctuation and
work out rules. Find words to
replace “said”.
Paired work: Make up an
argument between
brother and sister.
Perform it and write it,
correctly set out and
punctuated.
Read “Into the Forest” and
discuss similarities with “The
Tunnel.” Play scary sounds of the
forest on IWB and identify them.
Remind about using all five
senses in writing descriptions of
settings.
Teacher
modelling
Spelling, sentence and
paragraph work
Independent writing
Collect interesting
3
Innovation
Substitution,
Look at picture of boy
pointing. What might he
be saying? Add speech
bubbles.
Model using sentences of 3
for description: “He
stumbled over broken glass,
rusty tins and stinking binbags.”
Year group:
Quality writing
outcome
Re-tell story, using actions
for punctuation and reinforcing paragraph breaks.
Paired talk about changes they
could make to the basic story
– focus on a different familiar
setting and making it
frightening - when the girl
comes out of the tunnel.
Children write and illustrate own tunnel story
in little books with cut out tunnel on cover.
Charlie’s Bag
Once upon a time there was a little boy called Charlie who lived on the
edge of a big city.
Early one morning he woke up and his Mumma said, “Take this bag of
goodies to your Grandma’s house.” Into the bag she put – a slice of
cheese, a loaf of bread and a square of chocolate.
Next he walked, and he walked and he walked till he came to a bridge.
There he met a cat – a lean, mean cat. “I’m hungry,” said the cat. “What
have you got in your bag?”
“I’ve got a slice of cheese, a loaf of bread” – but he kept the chocolate
hidden!
“I’ll have the cheese please,” said the cat. So Charlie gave the cheese to
the cat and it ate it all up.
Next he walked, and he walked and he walked till he came to a pond.
There he met a duck – a snowy white duck.
“I’m hungry,” said the duck. “What have you got in your bag?”
“I’ve got a loaf of bread – but he kept the chocolate hidden!”
“I’ll have the bread please,” said the cat. So Charlie gave the bread to the
duck and it ate it all up.
Next he walked, and he walked and he walked till he came to a tall town
clock – tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. There he met not one, not two but
three scruffy pigeons.
“We’re hungry said the pigeons. “What have you got in your bag?”
Unfortunately, there was only the chocolate – Luckily, Charlie found
some crumbs. So he scattered them on the ground and the pigeons ate
them all up.
Next he walked, and he walked and he walked till he came to a crossroads. There he met ……nobody.
“Mmmm, I’m hungry,” said Charlie. “What have I got in my bag?”
“Mmmmmmmmm, chocolate!” So, he ate it all up!
Next he walked, and he walked and he walked till he came to Grandma’s
house. There he met Grandma.
“I’m hungry,” said Grandma. “What have you got in your bag?”
Unfortunately, there was only the chocolate wrapper left – Luckily
grandma had chicken, rice and peas for tea.
Adapted from the original ‘Charlie’s Bag’ by Pie Corbett © 2006 Pie Corbett
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Narrative
Text(s): Charlie’s Bag
Main text objectives: T1, T2, T3, T8, T10, T11
Whole Class - re-tell
Charlie’s bag story several
times using story map
made by teacher and
actions.
Children work in mixed ability
pairs and produce their own
story map of Charlie’s bag
and practice telling the story
using actions and their own
map. Children have the
teacher’s story map as a
guide at this stage.
Year group: 3
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Whole Class – change only
the events in the story and
draw a new map. Re-tell
orally using map and
actions.
Mixed ability pairs – children
work collaboratively to
change story events and
character draw a new story
map. Practise telling their
new story using their own
map and actions. Tell to
whole class.
AFL: Can children substitute
ideas from learnt story for their
own and orally re-tell it?
Using teachers story map,
children work in small
groups and practice telling
the story using actions. to
each other.
Using teachers story map,
children work in small
groups and practice telling
the story using actions. to
each other. Then in pairs.
AFL: Can children orally re-tell a
story?
Do they use actions and story
maps?
Mixed ability groups –
children work collaboratively
to change story events and
draw a story map. Practise
telling their new story using
their own map and actions.
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Teacher
modelling
Mixed ability groups –
children work collaboratively
to change story events and
draw a story map. Practise
telling their new story using
their own map and actions.
Spelling, sentence
and paragraph work
Whole Class -Demonstrate
and model paragraph
writing based on changed
whole class story. When
reading back to check use
punctuation actions.
Mixed ability pairs – children peer
check / edit each other’s work.
Re-draft.
Independent writing
Quality writing
outcome
Play Spelling Games to
improve children’s
composition.
Children compose one
paragraph at a time using their
own story map. Draft and edit.
AFL: Children illustrate each
paragraph and produce a published
book.
Stories of BabaBaba-Yaga work best if
you tell the children about her before you start
the story, using your voice to create suspense –
something like this:
Have a mortar and pestle ready to show the children)
(
Before I start this story I need to tell you about the terrible witch, BabaYaga, who lives in Russia. Children all over Russia are warned never to
play out alone, for fear of Baba-Yaga.
She is a terrible woman, nearly three metres tall and dreadfully ugly, and
she has teeth made of iron, so that she can crunch the bones of the
children she eats. She lives in the huge forests of Siberia, in the frozen
north of Russia, but she lives in no ordinary house. No – Baba-Yaga’s hut
is in a clearing in the forest and is surrounded by a fence made of the
bones of children she has eaten. And the gate-posts have skulls on them –
children’s skulls.
But this hut is no ordinary hut, for it stands on hens’ legs, and when BabaYaga wants to move she only has to utter the word and the hut will get up
and run to wherever she tells it.
She usually travels around in a huge mortar, steering it with a pestle, and
she can travel this way on land, over water or in the air.
And the last thing I need to tell you about Baba-Yaga is that she keeps a
flock of black geese which fly around Russia, looking for children who are
out playing alone. They swoop down and snatch any child they find, and
carry it back to their mistress for her next meal……..
So now that you know all about Baba-Yaga, I can start my story.
The Black Geese
Long ago in Russia, on the edge of a huge forest, there lived a woman
who had two children. Early one morning the woman said, “Elena, I have
to go to the market. Stay here and look after your baby brother, but watch
him carefully, for Baba-Yaga’s black geese who steal children have been
seen flying over the village. When I come home, I’ll bring you a sugarbun.”
After her mother had gone, Elena stayed in the house for a little while.
But after a while she got bored, so she took him outside to where her
friends were playing. She put him down on the grass, but soon forgot all
about him and ran off with her friends. The black geese came down,
seized the little boy and carried him away.
When Elena came back and found her brother gone she was terrified. She
rushed to search in every corner of the house and yard, but could not see
him. She shouted his name, but he did not answer. Then she knew that
the black geese must have stolen her brother and taken him to Baba-Yaga,
the terrible witch of the forest, who is three metres tall and eats little
children. “I must go after him,” Elena said, as she began to run towards
the forest.
She ran across the fields and came to a pond, and there she saw a fish
lying on the bank, gasping for water.
“Elena, Elena!” it called. “I am dying!”
Elena wanted to hurry on, but she was sorry for the fish. She picked it up
and carefully put it back in the pond. “You have helped me, so I shall help
you,” said the fish and dived down under the water and then up again.
“Here, take this shell, and if ever you are in trouble, throw it over your
shoulder.”
Elena did not see how a shell could ever help her, but she did not want to
seem rude, so she put it in her pocket and ran on.
Soon she came to a grove of trees, and there she saw a squirrel caught in
a trap.
“Elena, Elena!” it called. “My leg is caught.” Elena wanted to hurry on, but
she was felt sorry for the squirrel, so she released the trap. The squirrel
darted up into a tree and then down again.
“You have helped me, so I shall help you,” it said. Here, take this walnut.
If ever you are in danger, throw it over your shoulder.” Elena put the nut in
her pocket and hurried on.
Next she came to a stony bank and there she saw a field mouse trying to
move a fallen rock.
“Elena, Elena!” it called. “I cannot get into my hole.” Elena was sorry for
the field mouse, so she pushed and shoved until she had moved the rock
aside. The mouse darted into its hole and then back again.
“You have helped me, so I shall help you,” it said. Here, take this pebble. If
ever you are in danger, throw it over your shoulder.”
Elena put the pebble in her pocket and ran on into the dark forest, where
the trees grew so close together that not a speck of sunshine could get
through. Soon she came to a clearing and there she saw Baba-Yaga’s hut,
which stands on giant hens’ legs and can move about when it likes. The
black geese were roosting on the roof, a kettle was boiling on the fire and
Baba-Yaga was asleep inside, snoring through her long nose. Near her on
the floor sat Elena’s little brother, playing with some bones.
Elena crept into the hut and picked up her brother. But, as she ran away
into the forest, the black geese saw her. Immediately they began to honk
and to clap their wings, and Baba-Yaga woke up.
“Stop thief!” she screamed. “Bring back my dinner!”
Elena did not stop, but hurried on with her little brother in her arms and
with the witch chasing her with her long bony legs. Elena could not run
fast, for her brother was too heavy. The witch was gaining on her. What
could she do?
Suddenly she remembered what the fish had said. She reached into her
pocket and threw the shell over her shoulder.
At once, a lake appeared behind her. It was too large for Baba-Yaga to go
round it, so she squatted down by the edge and began to drink. In no
time at all, she had slurped it all up, and was chasing Elena again. She
was so close that Elena could hear the gnashing of her iron teeth.
Luckily she remembered what the squirrel had said. She reached into her
pocket and threw the nut over her shoulder.
At once, a thick forest appeared behind her. The trees grew so close
together that Baba-Yaga could not get through, but she knelt down and
gnawed through the trunks with her iron teeth, and in no time at all she
was close behind Elena again.
Elena could feel the panting breath of the witch on her neck, and see the
long arms reaching out to grab her. She reached into her pocket and
threw the pebble over her shoulder.
Instantly a huge mountain sprang up behind her. Baba-Yaga could not eat
it, nor drink it, so she stamped her feet and shook her fists and roared in
fury. And then she had to go back into the forest, growling and cursing.
At last Elena reached her village, and was safe at home, playing with her
little brother before her mother got back from the market with the sugar
buns.
adapted from ‘The Black Geese’ in Clever Gretchen and Other Forgotten Folktales by
Alison Laurie © 2005 iUniverse
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Traditional tales
Text(s): Baba-Yaga
Main text objectives: T2, T3, T7, T8, T9
Before telling the story –
tell children about
Russia and Baba-Yaga
(to create suspense.)
In gym – children act out
story (individually) as
teacher tells it. They can
experience the journey
aspect of the story,
climb trees (gym bars),
and hide as necessary –
helps internalise the
story.
3
Tell story of Baba-Yaga
with actions.
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Paired work: Oral rehearsal of
dialogue during sentence
level-work on speech marks.
Listen – join in – retell.
Re-tell story in groups.
Explore structure of story and
revise work on settings from
last term by deciding which
different scenes would be
needed for a puppet show.
Groups paint background
scenery.
Tell story in
Class Assembly.
Year group:
Children draw story-maps of
Elena’s journey.
Art – children make stick puppets of all
characters - to use whilst telling story
and doing sentence level work on
punctuation for dialogue.
Listen to music – The
Hut on Hen’s Legs by
Mussorgsky.
Innovation
Substitution, Addition,
Alteration
Reading activities – sequence
paragraphs or sentences from
story.
Puppet show - with music and sound
effects.
ICT : Film the show, view on IWB and
discuss how to improve own story-telling >>
Groups act out story
with one child as
narrator.
Dance – create
dance for black
geese.
Invention
Talking and drawing
Collect powerful
words and phrases for
evil characters in
Writer’s Notebook.
Tell story with
actions for
punctuation
(different from
first retelling) –
just before
independent
writing.
Spelling
activities
to learn
words
from the
story.
Teacher modelling
and demonstration
Teacher scribing
Supported
writing
Quality writing
outcome
Adjectives and adverbs
to describe good and
evil characters >>>
Wanted posters for
Baba-Yaga.
Use story map to model how
to retell story with own
substitutions – Paired work:
decide on own substitutions.
Children write own version of
story with illustrations.
Jason and the Golden Fleece
A long time ago there lived two brothers. Pelias hated his older brother,
Aeson, because Aeson was the King of Thebes. Pelias and took the
throne from his brother and put him in prison. But Aeson had a son, and
after many years that son came back to fight for his father's rights. His
name was Jason.
When Pelias heard that Jason had arrived he challenged him to a dare. "I'll
give up the crown without a fight, if you can prove you are worthy to take
it from me. I dare you to go and find the famous Golden Fleece. If you can
bring it to me, the crown goes back to your father." "I accept! I'll do it!" said
Jason.
Then Pelias smiled a wicked smile. For he knew that many had tried to
take the fiercely-guarded Golden Fleece belonging to King Aeëtes — but
none had lived to tell the tale.
Jason's first task was to search out the finest shipbuilder in the land. He
called his ship Argo, which means swift, and he mustered a crew from all the
heroes of the world and called them his Argonauts. But when he climbed
aboard, he did not even know where to start looking for the Golden Fleece.
Resting his hand on the wooden figurehead — carved from a magical oak tree
— he could feel a throb, like a heartbeat. Suddenly the figurehead turned,
and the carved eyes opened, and the carved mouth spoke: "King Phineas
will tell you where. Ask poor, poor Phineas!"
Phineas was old and blind. He had chests full of robes and larders full of
food. But when Jason and the Argonauts visited him he was as thin as a
twig and his clothes hung in rags. Servants brought delicious food. But no
sooner was the table set than in through the windows swooped a flock of
hideous birds, their claws snatching, their wings clacking. They had
women's heads, with flying hair and munching mouths, and they stole the
supper out of the very hands of the Argonauts and slashed at their faces.
"The Harpies! Shelter under the table, sirs!" cried King Phineas. "You'll be
safer there." But Jason drew his sword and cried, "Up, men, and fight!" He
and his crew fought the Harpies until feathers and hair fell like snow. The
creatures beat at Jason with their leathery wings, but he cut them out of the
air with his sword and jumped on them with his two feet. At last the
Harpies fled shrieking across the rooftops and out to sea, never to return.
Jason grilled a plate with food and set it in front of the king. "Eat, friend, then
tell us how to find the Golden Fleece." "Don't try it!" begged Phineas. "The
Fleece hangs in the Land of Colchis, beyond the Clashing Cliffs. Think of that
and tremble!" "Tremble? I, tremble? Ha!" said Jason grandly. And he
gathered his men together and the Argo set sail for the Clashing Cliffs.
But the cliffs were a terrifying sight. Two walls of rock, on either side of a
narrow strait, crashed together like cymbals. Fire streamed down and
sparks flew up, while boulders plunged into the churning sea below. Between
one clash of cliffs and the next, the Argo sped through, swift as darting seagulls.
Soon they had reached Colchis, Land of the Golden Fleece.
The next day Jason presented himself to the king of the island and told him
his story. "I must have the Golden Fleece—it's my destiny," he said. The king's
lip curled. "Well, of course I shall let you take my Golden Fleece ... but the
soldiers who guard it might try to stop you. Ha ha!"
Out of his deep purple pockets he pulled handfuls of sharp white teeth.
Dragon's teeth! He tossed them in among the Argonauts. As each tooth
touched the ground, a warrior sprang up, bristling with weapons. Soon
these soldiers outnumbered Jason's men a hundred to one. "We fought the
Harpies, didn't we?" cried Jason to his men. "Surely we can knock out a
mouthful of teeth!"
The Fleece hung in a lovely garden. By the gate of the garden stood a
woman—the king's daughter. "I watched you fight the dragon-tooth
warriors," said Princess Medea to Jason. "You are a true hero, I can see
that. But you'll need my magic if you are going to win the Golden Fleece.
Marry me and I'll help you."
"You're so beautiful that I'll willingly marry you," said Jason. "But I must lift
down the prize by my own strength or I would be cheating." He set out
through flowery groves, across streams, past bushes hung with blossom.
But here and there he passed piles of bones. Other heroes had entered
the garden before him .. . and met the dragon.
At last Jason found the prize he had come for. The Golden Fleece rested
over the branch of a tree—as thick and heavy as a carpet, glistening with
golden curls, soft, soft, soft. And round the tree coiled the dragon set to
guard it. The monster had no eyelids, it had no name and it had no pity. It
looked at Jason with eyes scorched red by sunshine and moonlight. Then it
pounced on him with gaping jaws.
Jason drew his sword, but its blade shattered like glass against the
dragon's scales. Teeth tore his clothes and fiery breath scorched his hair. Up
into the tree he clambered to escape. And when the dragon opened its mouth
to lick him down, Jason plunged in his broken sword. The beast gave a
terrible roar. Smoke billowed round Jason. Again and again he stabbed,
until black smoke dirtied all the king's garden. The Argonauts, watching
from the shore, saw the smoke gather in the sky. "Where's Jason? Why
doesn't he come?" they cried.
Then the sun glinted on a splash of gold—a sheep's fleece. It was draped
over Jason's shoulder as he came running down the beach. Alongside him
ran a woman as beautiful as the Fleece. "Aboard, men!" cried Jason. "I've
stolen the king's Golden Fleece and his daughter!"
So Jason and Princess Medea returned to Thebes—much to the amazement
and fury of Pelias. Jason's father, Aeson, was freed from prison, but he
refused to put on the crown of Thebes again. "I'm too tired to rule, Son," he
said. "You must be king in my place." But Medea said gently, "Trust me,
father-in-law. I have magic to make you strong and young again."
She poured him a peculiar potion, which sent Aeson to sleep for three
days. When he awoke, he had the body of a young man and the wisdom of
an old one—and all the energy he needed to rule Thebes. When wicked old
Pelias saw this amazing transformation, he went to Medea and offered her
all his money if she would do the same for him. "Make me young again,
Medea," he said. "I'd give anything for that!" So Medea gave him a potion,
too, and he fell asleep for three days. Three months. Three years. In fact he
never woke up again, because Medea had put him to sleep for ever.
So Jason and Medea lived together as man and wife, and although Jason
dressed in simple clothes, his cloak was lined with a golden fleece.
THE END
adapted from the myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece as retold in ‘The Orchard Book of
Greek Myths’ © 1992, Orchard Books
The Teaching Sequence for a 2/4 week Literacy unit of work
Range: Narrative - Myths, legends, fables, traditional tales
Text(s): Jason and the Golden Fleece
Main text objectives: T2, T3 T7 T6 T7 T8 T10
Whole Class - re-tell Jason
and Golden Fleece story
several times using story
map made by teacher and
actions.
Imitation of the text type
Loitering around the text
Groups - children plot events of
story on large story mountaindiscuss order.
Innovation
Substitution,
Addition, Alteration
Pairs - paint a character and use
adjectives/phrases to describe.
Using highlighted text children using ICT
drawing program and paint media to
draw / paint the dragon / harpies /
Phineas /golden fleece. Using words
highlighted.
Whole Class -Demonstrate
and model paragraph
writing based on changed
whole class myth. When
reading back to check use
punctuation actions.
Mixed ability pairs – children peer
check/edit/proof read each
other’s work. Re-draft.
Hot seating - Jason
AFL: Can children sequence events of a
myth? Can they describe a character/
sequence of events?
Act out the story of Jason.
AFL: Can children substitute
ideas from learnt story for their
own and orally re-tell it?
Using teachers story map,
children work in small
groups and practice telling
the story using actions. to
each other.
Using teachers story map,
children work in small
groups and practice telling
the story using actions. to
each other. Then in pairs.
Describe a character – take
the description text about the
dragon and highlight key
words that describe the text.
Mixed ability pairs – children
work collaboratively to draw story
map for own myth. Substituting
ideas. Consider each part as a
paragraph. Practise telling their
new story using their own map
and actions.
Year group: 3
Invention
Talking and
drawing
Teacher
modelling
Spelling,
sentence and
paragraph work
Independent
writing
Quality writing
outcome
Story circle using different opening
lines.. Many years ago…. You may
have heard…… There was a time
when….. Introduce continuation lines
e.g. Then, as if by magic or It was
unbelievable
Play Spelling Games to
improve children’s
composition.
Pairs – Children compose one
paragraph at a time using their
own story map. Draft and edit.
AFL: Outcome: In pairs children will
have worked collaboratively to
produce their own myth book to
read to Year 4 children. Year 4 give
feedback.
This Resource Booklet is part of the publication ‘Stories to Tell, Stories to Write’
© Lewisham Primary Strategy Team 2007
To request a copy of this publication, please contact:
The Publications Officer
Lewisham PDC
Kilmorie Road
London
SE23 2SP
Tel: 020 8314 6146
Fax: 020 8314 3072